Construction of Mandaue City’s gov’t center to commence in Feb.

By: Mary Rose Sagarino - CDN Digital Correspondent | January 23,2025 - 09:58 PM

Mandaue Government Center

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The construction of Mandaue City’s long-awaited one-stop-shop government center is scheduled to finally begin in the last week of February, according to a city official.

A meeting to finalize the design was held on Thursday, January 23. It was attended by members of the city’s Integrated Project Management Team, which includes department heads, the contractor, and Mayor Glenn Bercede.

They discussed various aspects of the project, including zoning, detailed interior and exterior designs, and surrounding spaces. Considerations for disaster resilience and sustainability were also prioritized, with the building being designed as a green structure.

The government building’s design is inspired by the iconic Bantayan sa Hari, a heritage site in Mandaue.

The new government center, located within the compound of the former Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), aims to centralize various local offices and government agencies for improved accessibility and efficiency for residents.

In addition to the iconic building, other support facilities, such as terminals and a plaza, will also be constructed.

“Nindot gyud, mahimo ni’ng landmark sa City of Mandaue,” said Mayor Glenn Bercede.

City Administrator Atty. Jamaal James Calipayan announced that the next step involves submitting the necessary documents for building permits to the City Engineering Office, which will then be forwarded to the City Mayor’s Office for approval.

“Masugdan by the end of February because the Office of the Building Official (OBO) has committed to facilitating and expediting the process as soon as possible, considering this is also a government project. Of course, it will still comply with all the requirements of the Building Code,” said Calipayan.

In preparation for construction, the contractor has already conducted soil tests to assess the load capacity to ensure the project’s safety and stability.

The government center is funded by the city’s P3 billion loan and is expected to be completed within three years. There are also plans to repair the existing CICC building through a Public-Private Partnership.

The government center broke ground on August 29, as part of Mandaue’s charter day celebrations.

Calipayan also emphasized that construction will not be affected by the upcoming election ban, which begins on March 28, as the project was awarded last year.

He clarified that the city is only required to notify the Commission on Elections regarding existing infrastructure projects, in accordance with the guidelines outlined in their resolution.